It only took 8-year-old Wesley about three seconds to share what he appreciates most about his mom, Natalie.
“Although she does not get very much rest, she always likes to take care of us,” he said with a slight grin as he peeked over at his mom.
You can sense the special relationship Wesley and his mom have by the way they communicate with each other. The deep love and mutual appreciation is obvious.
I know other families with similar relationships; and I know some who only dream of such.
Every family dynamic is different and each of us carry many of the aspects of those dynamics into our everyday lives and other relationships.
With Mother’s Day approaching on the calendar it shifts all of our minds to our own mothers and the relationship we have or had with her.
Sometimes the memories are painful; sometimes they are warm and sweet.
I know I have neglected so many opportunities to thank my mom for how amazing she is — and she is pretty amazing.
If you know her, then you know she is quiet, sometimes a little shy and definitely avoids public speaking at all costs.
So yes, I know what you are thinking — I must take after my dad. And in many ways, I do indeed. But my mom is certainly the best of all of us.
She has the fiercest love and compassion for her family and friends than any extrovert you can put in front of her.
My mom cares deeply and constantly looks for ways to help make all of our lives better and less stressed.
Along with her huge heart, she is smart, kind, gracious, cooperative, flexible and models a strong work ethic.
She has spent her life cheering my brother and me on at everything we have ever attempted to do. She shows no difference for our spouses.
The grandchildren, my brother’s kiddos, also know she will always be there rooting for them as well.
So many others have been blessed by her through the years as well, and I hope that one day I can learn to give away as much of myself as she does.
God has allowed me to walk through a few special seasons that gave me the opportunity to feel a smidgen of what it is like to truly love unconditionally and give a large chunk of myself away.
Somehow I fumbled my way through those moments and knew that the best way I could operate would be to emulate my own mom. So that’s what I did.
I’ve followed her lead in so many other parts of life as well and have been blessed to have an army of mother types (mother-in-law, aunts, grandmothers, mentors, older friends) and a special bonus mom to be there for me through the years.
My mom is super strong but I’m sure she has appreciated the help in raising me along the way. And pulling from the best of what each has to offer is an extra bonus for me.
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